Alfredo Sauces

[EternalRos3]

I have found I am not a fan of jarred alfredo sauces. There's an aftertaste in most that I've tried that just puts me off, and I can't describe it.

If I find myself reaching for a jarred alfredo for a specific recipe/time, I almost always spruce it up - mostly with whatever herbs I feel go with the particular dish, or some sort of vegetable.

When I cook alfredo sauce I took a tip from Wikipedia and warm my milk up with a bay leaf, so perhaps you could start off warming up your sauce with herbs and a bay leaf or whole clove?

 

[Andy M.]

Not to beat a dead horse, but it will take much longer to boil water and cook the pasta than to make the real deal Alfredo sauce.

BTW, the original recipe consists of fettuccine, butter and Parm Reg. cheese. A little pasta cooking water, salt and black pepper and you're done.

 

[Selkie]

Alfredo sauce consists of 3 ingredients: butter, cream and Parmesan cheese.

 

[medtran49]

I'd never buy jarred and I always ask how it's made if in a restaurant. I usually end up ordering something else since even in supposedly 'real' italian places it's nearly always a flour-based sauce

 

[taxlady]

I'd never buy jarred and I always ask how it's made if in a restaurant. I usually end up ordering something else since even in supposedly 'real' italian places it's nearly always a flour-based sauce

Thanks for the tip. I only had it in a resto once. It was actually at a food court. The chef made it while we sat at the counter and watched. He used fresh pasta that had been made on the premises. It was really good.

Stirling made some for the first time a couple of weeks ago. He was surprised how easy it was to make. I had micro-planed the cheese for him. It turned out great.

 

[Cheryl J]

My daughter buys Bertolli and they really like it. It's pretty good, but I like homemade much better.

I make my own with butter, heavy cream, garlic, and fresh grated Parm. So easy and very good.

1/4 cup butter
1 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Usually I halve that because just for me, that makes too much.

 

[Dawgluver]

Thanks for the recipe, Cheryl!

I've had Bertolli Alfredo sauce, I liked it.

 

[taxlady]

This is the recipe we use: Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe | SimplyRecipes.com. We have tried both versions, but prefer the creamy one. The recipe is very much like the one Cheryl posted, but uses less cream and more cheese. I measured out the 2/3 of cup finely grated parm and it weighed 30 grams. Then I don't have to worry about how hard to pack that cheese into the measuring cup. I'm fairly sure it's having freshly, finely grated, Parm, that makes this work so well.

 

[Andy M.]

This is the recipe we use: Fettuccine Alfredo Recipe | SimplyRecipes.com...

The first version of the linked recipe is the real deal. butter, cheese and pepper. The addition of cream and nutmeg is an Americanization of the recipe.

 

[taxlady]

The first version of the linked recipe is the real deal. butter, cheese and pepper. The addition of cream and nutmeg is an Americanization of the recipe.

I gathered that from the stuff the author wrote before the recipes. We tried both and like the second one better, but it's good to know that the classic one can be made when one doesn't happen to have any cream in the house. BTW, we skip the nutmeg.

 

[Cheryl J]

Thanks for the recipe, Cheryl!

I've had Bertolli Alfredo sauce, I liked it.

You're welcome, Dawg. It's pretty standard, I don't remember where I got it...probably from Allrecipes since that's been my go-to for forever.

 

[Andy M.]

I gathered that from the stuff the author wrote before the recipes. We tried both and like the second one better, but it's good to know that the classic one can be made when one doesn't happen to have any cream in the house. BTW, we skip the nutmeg.

We use cream too. That's how I learned the recipe before learning more about its origin.

 

[alucy0210]

Thanks for your recipe.

 

[jude6272]

I use cream cheese when i make it from scratch. When it comes to a jar, i haven't found anything that beats Bertolli.

 

[taxlady]

By the time you are using cream cheese in the sauce, I think you have deviated so much from the original recipe that it needs a new name. I am not saying it won't taste good with cream cheese.

 

[jude6272]

By the time you are using cream cheese in the sauce, I think you have deviated so much from the original recipe that it needs a new name. I am not saying it won't taste good with cream cheese.

I started one night because i had milk but no cream and cream cheese was a helped thicken. It's definitely easier to add parmesan without cream cheese, though. It just doesn't melt the same.

 

[letscook]

Thanks everyone for their post. Update, I have tried Bertolli and it isn't bad. I use that when I am making white pizza with veggies. I have tried some recipes with the cream cheese, all I taste is cream cheese in it, so won't be doing that again. I stick to making my own with heavy cream, butter and parm /romano cheese.
Making the sauce takes about as much time as opening a jar and heating it up, but I do keep a jar on hand for pizza or to add to something here and there.
I don't always have heavy cream on hand either, but after doing little trial and error I found I can freeze it in a ziplock bag in 1 cup portions and lay it flat to freeze. Then when I go to use it - take it out of the baggie lay in the sauce pan on low thaws out very quickly , little whisking and comes back in a second.

Thank you all for your ideas

 

[di reston]

Here, Fettuccine all'Alfredo is made with butter, parmesan, fresh chopped sage and black pepper.

di reston

 

[taxlady]

Here, Fettuccine all'Alfredo is made with butter, parmesan, fresh chopped sage and black pepper.

di reston

Adding chopped sage sounds delicious.

 

[taxlady]

I find the creamy, North American version works fine with 10% cream. If I didn't have any spare cream, I would make the traditional, Italian version.